Earth moving machine



Nov. 5, 1963 Filed June 28, 1961 R. J. LEE

EARTH MOVING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 I' -1mm Ralph J Lee INVENTOR.

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Nov. 5, 1963 R. J. LEE 3,109,249

EARTH MOVING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 w f" l g Q Qvi ww M st 7 lg T &.

Ralph J. Lee

INVENTOR,

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Nov. 5, 1963 R. J. LEE

EARTH MOVING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 28, 1961 Ralph J Lee INVENTOR. 4016 BY Q4.

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EARTH MOVING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 4- Ra/ph J. Lee

IN VENTOR.

BY WW 5M 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 28,1961

R. m m M 8m L 8 J I w w n Y B Q N m\ United States Patent Ofiice Bid-249 Patented Nov. 5, 1953 3,109,249 EARTH MGVENG MACHINE Ralph J. Lee, 1920 Fort King Road, Bade titty, Fla, as= signer of one-third to Was-dell E. tanfield, Dede flit la., and one-third to Peter 3. "Ullricn, Earl Antonio, Fla.

Filed June 28, 19(21, Ser. No. 129,368 9 (Ilaims. ('81. 37-129) This invention comprises a novel and useful dirt moving machine and more particularly relates to an apparatus specifically adapted for removing earth, scraping a surface, dumping the earth selectively in piles or spreading the dumped earth to form a smooth flat surface.

The primary purpose of this invention is to provide a dirt moving apparatus in the form of a trailer which may be readily secured to any conventional tractor and is adapted to be operated by the hydraulic power take-off of the tractor to perform its functions of excavating, car rying and dumping earth.

A further important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus capable of use by a single operator.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which will excavate and load its bucket from the front and will dump its load from the rear.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in accordance with the foregoing objects whic will be extremely difficult to stall or overload.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which shall be capable of operation to selectively discharge its load either in piles as for filling purposes, or will grade and level the discharged material to leave a flat smooth surface as desired.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide an apparatus in accordance with the preceding objects in which the mechanism will be so arranged as to be relatively free from breakdowns and capable of long and dependable operation and usefulness.

A still f rther important object of the invention is to provide an earth moving apparatus in accordance with the preceding objects wherein a combined excavating, transporting and dumping bucket shall be movably mounted upon a mobile frame and selectively positionable for excavating in front of the supporting wheels, but for dumping at the rear of the supporting wheels thereby enabling the device to readily and safely discharge its contents beyond the edge of a road or the like thereby faci1i tating filling operations.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus with a part of the frame being broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed view taken upon an enlarged scale in vertical longitudinal sections substantially upon the plane indicated by section line ZZ of FIGURE 1 and showing the position of the bucket, the frame and associated parts during the scraping 'or excavating position, parts being broken away and omitted;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional detail d view taken substantially upon a plane indicated by section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and showing further details of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 and showing diagrammatically in side elevation the position of the bucket operating mechanism during the excavating operation;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the position of the bucket and operating mechanism with the bucket lifted into load carrying position upon the completion of the digging operation;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURES 4 and 5 but showing the bucket tilted into its dumping position;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 but showing the manner in which the tailgate is employed for levelling and spreading the dumped load of the bucket;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the apparatus;

FIGURE 9 is a detail view taken in vertical transverse section substantially upon a plane indicated by section line S 9 of FIGURE 2 and showing certain details of tie tailgate structure of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing in top plan a further detail of the invention;

FIGURE 11 is a detailed view taken in vertical transverse scction substantially upon the plane indicated by section line -lll1 of FIGURE 3; and

'FlGURE 12 is a perspective detail view showing in side elevation a portion of the tail ate mechanism.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 it will be observed that the apparatus in accordance with this invention is of the mobile, trailer-like construction, including a frame indicated generally by the numeral ill to which is attached a drawbar or draft means 12, by means of which the device may be secured to a towing vehicle, such as a conventional type of farm tractor. The frame is supported in a manner to be subsequently set forth by a pair of supporting wheels 14 and mounted upon the frame is a movable bucket 16- which comprises a combined means for scraping or excavating dint, carrying and transporting the same, and dumping its load.

Inasmuch as the frame It) may be of any conventional design, and the invention set forth and claimed hereinafter is not limited to any particular construction of frame, a detailed description of the latter is deemed to be unnecessary. It may be noted, however, that the frame is preferably generally rectangular in shape so as to provide a central opening in which is received and movably mounted a bucket 16. The frame for this purpose may include a pair of side frame members of generally channel shaped construction indicated by the numeral 18, together with corresponding front and rear end members extending crosswise of the frame and designated at 24).

The drawbar or draft means 12 may likewise be of any conventional construction and is adapted to detachably couple the device to a towing vehicle such as a tractor. It is preferred to attach this device to a conventional type of farm tractor inasmuch as the customary hydraulic power take-off means of the tractor is utilized to provide a source of power for operating the movable bucket and the movably mounted wheels of the device as set forth hereinafter.

As will be best apparent from a consideration of HG- URES 3 and 8, each of the supporting wheels 14 is rotatably journalled upon a crank throw 22 of a crank or crank arm 24 having another crank throw 26 which is journflied in a journal bearing 28 which is mounted upon a side frame member 18. Fixedly secured to each of these cranks upon the opposite end of the throw 26 from the crank arm 24 is a crank lever 3d for a purpose to become subsequently apparent. Each of the cranks with its associated support wheel 14 and crank lever 30 is freely rotatable about the axis afforded by the journal bearing 23 with the axes of the two crank-s being aligned with each other, so that as the cranks are turned about the axes of the bearings 28, the supporting wheels 14- will be raised or lowered with respect to the frame. The proportions of the parts are such that the wheels may be elevated or lowered thereby raising or lowering the frame It} in girder to rnanipulate the bucket or scoop of the device as set forth hereinafter.

The bucket 16 may be of any conventional construction having an open front for the intake of material being scraped and having an open rear end controlled by a tailgate and through which the material accumulated by the bucket is to be dumped or discharged. The bucket has a flat bottom wall 32. together with a pair of side walls 34 with the front and rear ends of the bucket and the top being opened. The front end of the bottom wall 32 is provided with the usual lip or blade '36 comprising a slightly downwardly inclined blade by which the bucket or scoop is caused to penetrate the earth during the digging, loading or excavating operation as suggested in FIGURES 2 and 4.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 12 it will be observed that an axle is provided by means of which the bucket is pivotally mounted upon the frame 1%. This axle preferably consists of a pipe or bar 38 secured as by welding to the underside of the bottom wall 32 at the rear end of the latter, and the opposite ends of this pipe are provided with trunnions or pintles 40 extending therefrom which latter are received in journal bearings 42 secured to the underside of the frame side members 18 and depending therefrom. It will thus be observed that the bucket is hinged at its rear end to the underside of the frame for tilting movement about a horizontal axis which is transverse of the frame and which is located at the rear end of the bucket or scoop.

It may be here noted that by an operating means to be subsequently set forth, the bucket may be tilted about its trunnions 40 to a lowered and loading position such as that shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 at which time the blade 36 will be inclined downwardly to penetrate the soil and thus scoop'matcrial into the open front end of the bucket, which front end of the bucket is likewise disposed in a forwardly and downwardly inclined position and is lowered below the side frame members 18. From this lowered position the bucket is capable of being tilted upwardly or raised to a slightly forwardly and upwardly tilted-position which is the load carrying position shown in FIGURE and may be still further raised to a rearwardly tilted position which is the dumping or leveling positions shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. The operating means for efiecting this tilting movement of the buckct together with a means connecting the crank arms with 'the bucket for simultaneous movement of the crank arms and raising and lowering of the wheels with the raising and lowering of the bucket will be subsequently set forth.

A tailgate indicated generally by the numeral 50 is hingedly mounted upon the open rear end of the bucket at the upper end of the latter for swinging movement between open and closed positions. The tailgate may likewise be of any conventional desired construction except for certain features added thereto as set forth hereinafter, and consequently, it is deemed unnecessary for an understanding of this invention to describe the particular construction of the tailgate. It sufiicies to state that the tailgate has hinge ears 52 secured to the upper end thereof which are pivotally mounted as by pivots 54 to hinge lugs 56 secured to the sides of the bucket. Thus, the tailgate is mounted for swinging or tilting movement about a horizontal axis which extends across and is horizontally of the rear open end of the bucket.

A latch means is provided for retaining the tailgate in its closed position during the excavating and load carrying positions, which latch means is automatically released to permit the bucket to open'by gravity during the tilting of the dumping operation. This latch means preferably consists of a bracket or keeper 5% one of which is secured to and projects laterally from each side of the tailgate and which is adapted to be cooperatively engaged by the notch 60 of the latch lever 62 which is pivoted as at 64 to the corresponding side wall 34- and to a laterally offset bracket 66 fixedly secured to the side wall. The latch lever at its rearward end has a downwardly and forwardly inclined face 63 comprising a cam surface which is adapted to be engaged by the bracket 58 during the closing movement of the tailgate to thereby cause the latch lever to lift and pass over the bracket 58 and cause the lach notch so to engage this keeper. A spring '70 suitably connected to the latch lever and to the bucket side wall resiliently urges the latch downwardly into its latching position upon the keeper 58. The latch actuating means for releasing or disengaging the latch at properly timed relation consists of a connecting means by which this latch is connected to a mechanism operated in synchronization with the tilting of the bucket, as set forth hereinafter.

As previously mentioned, the bucket tailgate is gravity operated to its open position, and this operation will be readily understood from a comparison of the sequential o erational views of FIGURES 4 6.

With the bucket tilted upwardly into dumping position as shown in FIGURE 6 and with the tailgate open, the contents will be discharged upon the ground where they may be either left piled thereon for various purposes such as for filling and similar operations, or they may be spread out smoothly upon the ground to leave a smooth even surface by the use of the tailgate.

To effect this last mentioned operation, there is provided at each side of the bucket a limit means in the form of a chain 72, one end of which is secured to the tailgate as by weldingly engaging the chain to an angle member 74 on the lower end of the tailgate, with the other end of the chain being welded to the frame members 18 as at 76. This chain serves to limit the opening movement of the tailgate thus causing it to function as a drag to level dirt as indicated in FIGURE 7.

Fixedly secured to the exterior surfaces of the two sides 34 of the bucket are a pair of V-shaped frame members dil having divergent arms 82 and 84. These frames are welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the bucket and at the apices of the V-shaped frames there is secured a transverse rod 86 which serves to rigidify the assembly. The shorter leg 82 of the V-shaped frame is apertured to receive a transversely extending lift rod 88 extending therethrough, and a pair of L-sbaped brackets 90 are secured to the legs 82, overlie the ends of the rod 88, and have downturned flanges 92 thereon. The lower ends of these flanges in turn are joined as by a brace member 94 to the short leg 82 to rigidify the construction and provide a mounting. Hydraulic operating means are provided including a pair of cylinders 96 each pivotally connected at 98 to a mounting bracket 100 secured to the top of a side frame member 18. The cylinders are provided with pistons not shown having piston rods 102 therein, the ends of these piston rods being secured to the ends of the rod 88 within the brackets 90. Suitable hydraulic fluid operating lines 104 are connected to the cylinders 96 and are adapted to be connected to the hydraulic power take-off of a tractor, not shown. The arrangement is such when the hydraulic power take-off of the tractor is operated, the cylinder and piston unit may be extended longitudinally or retracted. In its extending movement, by virtue of its pivotal connection to the V-shaped frames 8d of the bucket, the latter is caused to pivot about its pivoting axis on its trunnions 46 to various inclined positions.

A connecting means is provided by means of which the bucket is interconnected to the crank arms 24. Thus, a pull lever lit] has one end pivotally secured at 112 to the free end of the crank lever 30, while its other end is pivotally connected as by a pivot pin 114 to the previously mentioned brace plate o6 on the rearward portion of the side wall 34 of the bucket. As will be observed particularly from FIGURE 12, the rearward end of the pull lever has a bracket or lug 116 secured thereto which thus provides a bifurcated extremity for the pull lever which slidingly embraces the member 66. The extremity of the lever 110 and of the member 116 are provided with elongated slots 118 in which is received the pivot pin 114 previously mentioned, to provide a lost motion connection between the lever and the bucket.

The lever is provided with a longitudinally extending medially disposed perpendicularly arranged flange or plate 120 thereon which is welded thereto and which serves both to impart stability to the lever and also provides an elongated slot 122 through which extends a latch actuating lever 124. The latter is pivoted as at 126 in any convenient manner as to the side of the bucket and has one of its arms pivotally connected as at 128 to the laterally offset end portion 13% of the latch lever 62.

The arrangement is such that as re bucket is tilted about its pivotal trunnions 4% under the operation of the hydraulic cylinders 96, the resulting angular movement of the pull lever 110' will result simultaneously in a rocking of the crank shaft 24- and also in a rocking of the latch actuating lever 124. As a result of this arrangement and the proportioning of the parts, it will now be understood that as the bucket is tilted downwardly to cause its blade or edge 36 to dig into the soil, the wheels are lifted thereby lowering the entire body of the frame and the bucket. This is the position shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. It will be observed that at this time the latch lever 62 is retained in latching position by means of its spring 70 with the latch actuating lever 124 being in an idle position in its slot 122 in the pull lever Hil However, as the bucket is raised or tilted in a counter-clockwise direction about its trunnions, so that the front end of the bucket is lifted above the ground, the Wheels of the device are correspondingly lowered and the bucket is moved into its load carrying position shown in FIG- URE 5. At this time, the tailgate still remains closed and is locked in closed position by the latch member.

When the device reaches its destination and it is desired to dump the bucket, the hydraulic actuating means is further energized, and the bucket is then further tilted upwardly and backwardly into its dumping position shown in FIGURE 6. In this position, the angular shifting of the pull lever 11% causes the actuating lever 124 to pivot the latch lever 62 and disengage the latch whereupon the tail gate is opened by gravity to the dumping position shown in FIGURE -6 and the load is dumped. It will be observed that the load is dumped rearwardly of the supporting wheels and within the confines of the frame. If it is desired to scrape the load or level the same, forward travel of the device causes the chain 72 to limit rearward swinging movement of the tailgate and thus cause the lower edge of the same to scrape the dumped material and level the same in a manner which will be obvious. This is the position shown in FIGURE 7.

It will be further observed that by this arrangement the positions of the wheels with respect to the frame is shifted during the shifting movement of the bucket. Thus the wheels travel in an arc whose center is the central axis of the member 26. The wheels are thus moved forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the device and upwardly or downwardly all in synchronization with the tilting movement of the bucket.

It will further be noted that the pivotal connection of the hydraulic actuating means to the bucket is disposed rear-wardly and above the center of gravity of the bucket thereby facilitating the lifting and dumping operation.

A stop means is provided which when once the bucket tailgate has been opened will prevent its closing inadvertently. This stop means as will be best apparent from FIGURES 10 and 11 consists of an u standing post or standard 140 Welded or otherwise secured to the side frame member 18 and which fixedly carries upon its upper end a horizontally disposed base plate 14-2.. Pivotally secured to this plate for horizontally swinging movement about a vertical axis is a swinging abutment 144 which is secured as by fastening bolt 14-6, and which is normally resiliently retained as by a tension spring 148 against a fixed abutment 156 in the form of a block welded to the top surface of a plate 142. As will be appreciated the spring 148 is secured to the plate 142 and to the swinging abutment 144. The arrangement is such that the movable abutment 144 is positively preventing from movement in a direction which is toward the bucket but is capable of yielding swinging movement in a direction away from the bucket. Cooperating with this stop means is a stop lug 152 secured to the tailgate and positioned during the dumping operation or the upward opening swinging movement of the tailgate during the dumping operation to strike the swinging abutment and pivot the same and then pass this abutment. However, if the tailgate should attempt to swing closed while the bucket is in the dumping position, the lug 152 will strike the swinging abutment and be prevented from further movement thus retaining the tailgate open. The tailgate will thus stay open until the bucket is lowered from its tilted dumping position, by operation of the hydraulic operating cylinders 96. This will cause lifting of the tailgate and a sliding of the lug 152 upwardly and over the swinging abutment 144 thereby permitting the tailgate to move to its closed position where the striking of the keeper 58 against the cam surface 68 of the latch lever 62 will lift the latter against the spring 76 and thus permit the latch to lock the tailgate in closed position.

It will thus be observed that the opening and closing movements of the tailgate are automatic in nature and the opening movement being positively timed by the tilting of the bucket to a dumping position by operation of the connecting means between the bucket and the support wheels of the device, while the closing of the tailgate is determined by lifting of the tailgate stop lug 152 over the swinging abutment of the stop means.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An earth moving machine comprising a frame, crank axles journaled on said frame and carrying support wheels whereby said frame may be raised and lowered upon oscillation of said axles, a bucket pivoted at its lower rear end to the rear end of said frame for tilting about a horizontal axis transverse to said frame between a lifted dumping position, a lowered loading position and an intermediate load carrying position, said bucket having a loading front end, a gravity operated tailgate pivoted to the bucket rear end at the upper ends of both said bucket and tailgate for swinging about a horizontal axis transverse said bucket between open and closed position, a fluid pressure operated tilting mechanism directly connected to said frame and to said bucket and positively moving said bucket to loading, intermediate and dumping positions selectively, pull levers each connected to a crank axle, a lost motion slide and pivot connection between each pull lever and said bucket whereby tilting of said bucket effects positive oscillation of said crank axles whereby to lower the frame when thebucket is lowered and to lift the frame when the bucket is lifted.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a latch means releasably retaining said tailgate in its closed position, a latch actuating lever connected to said latch means and movable to release the latter, said pull lever having a slot therein, s id latch actuating lever extending through said slot for operation by said pull lever, said slot having sufficient clearance with said latch to provide lost motion whereby the latch actuating lever will be actuated to release said latch means only when the bucket is tilted from its intermediate position to its dumping position.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a latch means releasably retaining said tailgate in its closed position,

latch releasing means connected to said latch means and to said pull lever for releasing said latch means only when the bucket is moved between its intermediate load carrying position and its raised dumping position.

4. An earth moving machine comprising a frame, crank arms on the opposite sides of said frame each having a support wheel thereon, a bucket, means pivoting said bucket upon said frame at the rear ends of both said bucket and said frame for tilting movement of said bucket between a lowered digging position and raised carrying and dumping positions, connecting means secured to said crank arms and bucket for simultaneously lowering said wheels when said bucket is in raised position and vice versa, power operated means connected to said bucket at a location which is rearward and above the center of gravity of the loaded bucket for effecting pivoting of said bucket, brace means comprising A-frame secured to the sides of said bucket and having their apices projecting above said bucket, outwardly and laterally projecting pivot means mounted upon said A-frames, a brace rod rigidly connecting said apices, said power operated means being directly pivoted to said A-frames upon said pivot means, a tailgate pivoted at its upper end to the rear of said bucket for swinging of its lower end to and from said bucket for dumping the contents of said bucket, retaining means engaging said tailgate and limiting swinging movement of the latter away from the bucket whereby the lower edge end of said tailgate may function as a dirt leveling and spreading means.

5. An earth moving machine comprising a frame, crank arms on the opposite sides of said frame each having a support Wheel thereon, a bucket, means pivoting said bucket upon said frame at the rear ends of both said bucket and said frame for tilting movement of said bucket between a lowered digging position and raised carrying and dumping positions, connecting means secured to said crank arms and bucket for simultaneously lowering said wheels when said bucket is in raised position and vice versa, power operated means connected to said bucket at a location which is rearward and above the center of gravity of the loaded bucket for effecting pivoting of said bucket, brace means comprising A-frames secured to the sides of said bucket and having their apices projecting above said bucket, outwardly and laterally projecting pivot means mounted upon said A-frames, a brace rod rigidly connecting said apices, said power operated means being directly pivoted to said A-frames upon said pivot means, said connecting means including a lever arm secured fixedly to each crank arm and a pull lever connected to each lever arm and to said bucket.

6. An earth moving machine comprising a frame, crank arms on the opposite sides of said frame each having a support wheel thereon, a bucket, means pivoting said bucket upon said frame at the rear ends of both said bucket and said frame for tilting movement of said bucket between a lowered digging position and raised carrying and dumping positions, connecting means secured to said crank arms and bucket for simultaneously lowering said wheels when said bucket is in raised position and vice versa, power operated means connected to said bucket at a location which is rearward and above the center of gravity of the loaded bucket for effecting pivoting of said bucket,

brace means comprising A-frames secured to the sides of said bucket and having their apices projecting above said bucket, outwardly and laterally projecting pivot means mounted upon said A-frarnes, a brace rod rigidly connecting said apices, said power operated means being directly pivoted to said A-frames upon said pivot means, a tailgate pivoted to said bucket, a latch means mounted on said bucket for retaining the tailgate in closed position on said bucket, latch actuating means for disengaging said latch from said tailgate when said bucket is tilted to dumping position, said latch actuating means being connected to said connecting means.

7. An earth moving machine comprising a frame, crank arms on the opposite sides of said frame each having a support wheel thereon, a bucket, means pivoting said bucket upon said frame at the rear ends of both said bucket and said frame for tilting movement of said bucket between a lowered digging position and raised carrying and dumping positions, connecting means secured to said crank arms and bucket for simultaneously lowering said wheels when said bucket is .in raised position and vice versa, power operated means connected to said bucket at a location which is rearward and above the center of gravity of the loaded bucket for effecting pivoting of said bucket, brace means comprising A-frames secured to the sides of said bucket and having their apices projecting above said bucket, outwardly and laterally projecting pivot means mounted upon said A-frames, a brace rod rigidly connecting said apices, said power operated means being directly pivoted to said A-frames upon said pivot means, a tailgate pivoted to said bucket, a latch means mounted on said bucket for retaining said tailgate in closed position on said bucket, latch actuating means for disengaging said latch from said tailgate when said bucket is tilted to vdumping position, stop means normally preventing closing of said tailgate when said bucket is in dumping position.

8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said pull lever and said bucket have a lost motion connection therebetween.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein said stop means includes a lug mounted on said tailgate and a movable abutment mounted on said frame, said abutment being disposed to engage said lug upon swinging movement of said tailgate when said bucket is in dumping position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 400,791 Rebholz Apr. 2, 1889 470,208 McKnight Mar. 9, 1892 534,681 Bunnell Feb. 26, 1895 2,083,307 Schultz June 8, 1937 2,180,658 Austin Nov. 21, 1939 2,181,403 Kolberg Nov. 28, 1939 2,291,858 Allin Aug. 4, 1942 2,308,534 Paulsen Jan. 19, 1943 2,408,806 Mork Oct. 8, 1946 2,556,284 Maloou June 12, 1951 2,711,599 Owen June 28, 1955 

4. AN EARTH MOVING MACHINE COMPRISING A FRAME, CRANK ARMS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FRAME EACH HAVING A SUPPORT WHEEL THEREON, A BUCKET, MEANS PIVOTING SAID BUCKET UPON SAID FRAME AT THE REAR ENDS OF BOTH SAID BUCKET AND SAID FRAME FOR TILTING MOVEMENT OF SAID BUCKET BETWEEN A LOWERED DIGGING POSITION AND RAISED CARRYING AND DUMPING POSITIONS, CONNECTING MEANS SECURED TO SAID CRANK ARMS AND BUCKET FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY LOWERING SAID WHEELS WHEN SAID BUCKET IS IN RAISED POSITION AND VICE VERSA, POWER OPERATED MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BUCKET AT A LOCATION WHICH IS REARWARD AND ABOVE THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE LOADED BUCKET FOR EFFECTING PIVOTING OF SAID BUCKET, BRACE MEANS COMPRISING A-FRAME SECURED TO THE SIDES OF SAID BUCKET AND HAVING THEIR APICES PROJECTING ABOVE SAID BUCKET, OUTWARDLY AND LATERALLY PROJECTING PIVOT MEANS MOUNTED UPON SAID A-FRAMES, A BRACE ROD RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID APICES, SAID POWER OPERATED MEANS BEING DIRECTLY PIVOTED TO SAID A-FRAMES UPON SAID PIVOT MEANS, A TAILGATE PIVOTED AT ITS UPPER END TO THE REAR OF SAID BUCKET FOR SWINGING OF ITS LOWER END TO AND FROM SAID BUCKET FOR DUMPING THE CONTENTS OF SAID BUCKET, RETAINING MEANS ENGAGING SAID TAILGATE AND LIMITING SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE LATTER AWAY FROM THE BUCKET WHEREBY THE LOWER EDGE END OF SAID TAILGATE MAY FUNCTION AS A DIRT LEVELING AND SPREADING MEANS. 